Stay ConnectedEvery weekday, NPR’s best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don’t just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon.
Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for The NPR Politics Podcast.
Copyright: © Copyright 2015-2026 NPR - For Personal Use Only
Democrats outperformed expectations last night. Despite Biden's unpopularity and big economic headwinds, abortion politics and the unpopularity of Trump-backed candidates helped stave off a Republican wave. The House still looks like it's headed for GOP hands but not by a huge margin and the balance of power in the Senate is still uncertain.
This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Susan Davis, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
The balance of power will take time to sort out, but here are some firsts you can talk about around the water cooler Wednesday: Vermont becomes the final state to elect a woman to Congress, Florida is sending the first member of Gen Z to the House and Massachusetts has elected the nation's first openly lesbian governor.
Find the latest results at npr.org
This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Susan Davis, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
More than 40 million Americans have already cast ballots in the 2022 midterms, but be prepared: results may not come quickly Tuesday night. We take a look at what races could serve as bellwethers for either Republicans or Democrats.
This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and senior political editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Trump and Biden signed off on historic amounts of stimulus money that helped the country's economy weather the pandemic, but — on top of supply chain straggles and shutdowns — that money may have come with a downside: increasing inflation. Now, as voters considered their midterm voter, rising costs are top of mind.
This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis and White House correspondent Asma Khalid.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Biden gave a speech Wednesday night on the health of democracy — it's one of many things on the minds of young voters this election cycle, alongside abortion access and the economy. But our polling suggests that Democrats are struggling to mobilize people under 40 to cast a ballot.
This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political reporter Elena Moore, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the first Latina U.S. senator, is in an extremely close race against Republican Adam Laxalt, Nevada's former Attorney General. Flagging enthusiasm and shrinking support among the state's Latino voters could cost Cortez Masto reelection — and cost Democrats control of the chamber.
This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, poltical correspondent Susan Davis, and political reporter Barbara Sprunt.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Violent crime remains higher than it was pre-pandemic and Republican candidates are blanketing suburban airways with ads about the issue. It has led many Democratic candidates to tout their support for law enforcement and distance themselves from the push for policing reform that took shape after 2020's racial justice protests.
This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, criminal justice correspondent Martin Kaste, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Rep. Cindy Axne was elected in a Democratic wave year from Iowa's 3rd congressional district. Now, she faces a tough reelection fight against Republican Zach Nunn. The campaigns have largely eschewed talking about local issues in favor of more national topics like inflation and abortion access.
This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
A man broke into the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacked her husband. The speaker was not home at the time and her husband is expected to make a full recovery. But, a source briefed on the attack told NPR, the assailant was looking for the Speaker.
In Pennsylvania, a debate challenged Democrat John Fetterman as he continues to recover from a stroke. Though he is still ahead of his opponent, Republican Mehmet Oz, the race has tightened in the past month.
And a major train strike appears possible after the midterm elections as a labor dispute the White House weighed into resolve has begun to unravel after two major unions voted against a proposed deal.
This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, voting correspondent Miles Parks, national political correspondent Don Gonyea, and politics reporter Ximena Bustillo.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
In Arizona, rampant voter fraud conspiracies have led people — some armed — to observe ballot boxes and polling sites, sometimes leading to confrontations. Will it keep people from voting? And between four and five million Americans are unable to vote because of a past felony conviction. A confusing patchwork of laws and reform efforts have led to confusion — and, in Florida, criminal charges of voter fraud.
This episode: political reporter Deepa Shivaram, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and KJZZ reporter Ben Giles.
Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Connect:
Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org
Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.
Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
